Table seedless grape plant named ‘Early Sugar’

ABSTRACT

Described is a new grape variety that produces substantially uniform, large white table grapes on a productive plant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct variety of the Vitisvinifera L. species which produces white seedless table grapes.

The new variety is the result of a cross of the variety ‘Yantar’(unpatented) as seed parent, and the variety ‘Novomuscat Seedless’(unpatented) as pollen parent followed by embryo rescue and budwoodpropagation by cuttings. The variety has been asexually reproduced bybudwood propagation in Zichron Yackov, Israel.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

The new variety distinguishes from its parent variety ‘Yantar’ in colorand is a seedless selection, ripening very early, with an ovate shape ofberry and a slight Muscat taste, whereas ‘Yantar’ is a white creamycolor variety, early seeded and ripens later than the new variety.

The new variety distinguishes from its parent variety ‘Novomuscat’ inberry size and shape and taste, whereas ‘Novomuscat’ has small unevenberries and a very strong Muscat taste.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying illustration shows typical specimens of the vegetativegrowth and berries of the new variety depicted in color as nearly trueas it is reasonably possible to make the same in a color illustration ofthis character.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of 11 year-old plants of the newvariety grown outdoors in Zichron Yackov, Israel, in April to Septemberon their own rootstock. The color terminology used is in accordance withThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart. Physiological andmorphological characteristics described with reference to the standardguidelines of I.P.G.R.I., U.P.O.V., O.I.V. (1997). Descriptors forGRAPEVINE (Vitis spp.), International Union for the Protection of NewVarieties of Plants, Geneva, Switzerland/Office International de laVigne et du Vin, Paris, France/International Plant Genetic ResourcesInstitute, Rome, Italy, guidelines. Phenotypic expression may varydepending on environmental, climate and cultural conditions. Thereferenced varieties ‘Perlette Seedless’, ‘Queen of Vineyards’, ‘FlameSeedless’ and ‘Thompson Seedless’ are not known to be patented.

Vine:

Size.—Medium spread canopy with medium leaf size.

Form.—Erect (UPOV 6.1.5/1).

Vigor.—Moderate vigor influenced by the crop.

Time of sprouting.—Very early before ‘Perlette Seedless’.

Young vine — productivity.—Heavy production, average about 40-50 bunchesper vine in commercial production; without thinning about 70-80 bunchesper vine, 2-3 bunches per shoot.

Trunk: 11 year-old vine in Israeli farming conditions.

Size.—Small to medium similar to ‘Queen of Vineyards’ ranges from 38.6mm (1.52 inches) to 55 mm (2.2 inches).

Trunk.—(About 4 to 6 inches).

Surface texture.—Rough with a fibrous, shaggy exterior upper side colorBrown Group color near 200C, bottom side color from Grayed-Orange Groupnear 166B.

Canes:

Size.—Mature cane about 0.6-1.0 cm width (about ⅜ inch).

Number.—Eleven-year, quadrilateral cordon about 25-30 spurs, 60-70shoots per vine.

Diameter.—About 0.6-1.0 cm.

Color.—Mature third year, cane surface is relatively smooth withyellowish brown color cane; Greyed-Orange Group near 175C. This colorchecked on internode 3 to 4 from the cane base; Red-Burgundy color (near187C) of strips along the cane.

Form.—Straight, upright; nodes upright, pointed.

Nodes.—Size: Width at center about 1.2 cm ({fraction (9/16)} inch).Internode size: Width at center about 0.6-0.8 cm ({fraction (7/16)}inch). Internode length: Length about 5-10 cm.

Number of tendrils.—Tendrils in almost every node; horizontal toupright.

Tendril thickness.—About 0.1-0.3 cm.

Tendril length.—Medium, about 19-21 cm (4 inches).

Tendril texture.—Woody.

Flowers: Male and female; fully developed (UPOV 6.2.1/3), self fertile;perfect.

Date of bloom.—About 12-15 days before ‘Perlette Seedless’; about 3weeks before ‘Flame Seedless’, when under similar conditions.

Filament.—Length about {fraction (5/32)} inch; color Yellow-Green Groupnear 145D.

Anther.—Color Yellow Group near 5C; size {fraction (1/32)} inch.

Pistil.—Color Yellow-Green Group near 145B; length about {fraction(3/32)} inch.

Flower stem.—Length about {fraction (7/32)} inch; color Yellow-GreenGroup near 145C.

Flower type.—Male and female fully developed (U.P.O.V. 6.2.1/3).

Stamens.—Are taller than pistils (ovaries) which make the flowerself-fertile. Date first bloom: In average cold spring region — 28April. Date last bloom: In average cold spring region — 15 May. Averageflower size: Normal. Pistil size: Average length of pistil and pedicel(ovary+pedicel) is about {fraction (3/32)} inch. Color of Pistil:(Ovary) Light Yellow-Green, Yellow Green Group near 145B. Color ofStamen: Yellow-Cream (Yellow Group near 5C). Stamen length: Averagelength is about {fraction (6/32)} inch. Stamen number: About 5 stamen inone flower bud. Pedicel: Short, less than {fraction (1/16)} inch withcreamy color, Yellow Group near 10D.

Leaves:

Size.—The mature leaf is large size, the young leaf is small size(recorded on the first 4 distral unformed leaves — U.P.O.V. — 6.1.16).

Average length.—Mature leaf: About 5{fraction (5/16)} inches. YoungLeaf: About 2{fraction (5/16)} inches.

Average width.—Mature leaf: About 7{fraction (4/16)} inches. Young Leaf:About 3{fraction (1/16)} inches.

Thickness.—Normal.

Form.—Pentagonal (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.22/3).

Color dorsal surface.—Mature leaf: Green Group near 137A. Young Leaf:Green Group near 144A.

Color ventral surface.—Mature leaf: Green Group near 137C. Young Leaf:Green Group near 144B.

Color.—Near 184A anthocyanin coloration. Often well developed smallcluster of flower buds on tip.

Texture dorsal surface.—Mature leaf: Smooth surface without hairs andvery weak, anthocyanin coloration of main veins (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.24/1).Young Leaf: Smooth and shiny surface without hairs and very weakcoloration of main veins (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.24/1).

Texture ventral surface.—Mature leaf: Fairly smooth with very sparseprostate hairs in main veins (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.37/1). Young Leaf: Shinysmooth with space prostrate hairs on main veins (UPOV — 6.1.20/1).

Number of lobes.—About five (UPOV — 6/1/23/3).

Terminal lobe — form.—Oval larger lobe compare to the leaf general sizewith deep basal sinuses in both sides.

Petiolar color.—Yellow-Green (Yellow-Green Group near 144C) withanthocyanin coloration — Red striped (Grayed-Purple Group near 185C).

Petiolar sinus depth.—Average about ⅞ inch to 1 inch with the presenttooth at petiole sinus (U.P.O.V. — 6/1/31/1).

Petiole length.—About 4⅝ inch.

Petiolar sinus shape.—Slightly open (U.P.O.V. 6.1.30/4).

Basal sinus.—Deep, lobes slightly overlapped (U.P.O.V. — 6/1/33/3).

Lateral sinus.—Medium deep, lobes slightly overlapping (U.P.O.V. —6.1.33/3).

Margin form.—Undulate (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.25/5).

Teeth.—Mixture of both sides straight and both sides convex (U.P.O.V. —6.1.27/5), medium length and medium ratio between length/width of teeth(U.P.O.V. — 6.1.29/5).

Shoot tip.—Form of Tip: Fully open (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.1/5) with the weakanthocyanin coloration of the tip (Grayed-Red Group near 182C) (U.P.O.V.— 6.1.2/3) and dense prostrate.

Shoot.—Upright with fully open tip, with up to 2 consecutive tendrils,round with intensive anthocyanin coloration on dorsal side (Grayed-RedGroup near 187A) and Yellow-Green (Yellow-Green Group near 144A) withRed strips on the ventral side.

Leaf blade.—Serrated margin with average length about ⅞ inch to1{fraction (4/8)} inches and average width about ⅞ inch to 1⅜ inches.

Dorsal surface.—Reddish (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.16/7) Yellow-Green (Yellow-GreenGroup near 145A) with intensive anthocyanin coloration (Grayed-PurpleGroup near 184C) Very sparse prostrate hairs between the veins (U.P.O.V.— 6.1.17/1) and sparse prostrate hairs on main veins (U.P.O.V. —6.1.19/3), about 5 lobes with very deep lateral sinuses.

Ventral surface.—Reddish (U.P.O.V. — 6.1.16/7) with sparse prostratehairs on main veins.

Tendrils:

Number.—Up to 2 consecutive tendrils on the shoot (U.P.O.V. 6.1.14).

Thickness.—Young: About {fraction (1/16)} inch.

Length.—Average short about 4⅞ inches; the base part without “V” —Medium size (U.P.O.V. 6.1.15/5). Mature: About 9{fraction (1/16)}inches. Young: About 6{fraction (1/16)} inches.

Form.—Open “V” shape with 1 or 2 curling in the end of the tendril andoften with well developed small cluster of flower buds in the end of thetendril.

Texture.—Slightly firm but no woody; Young tendril color — Yellow-Green(Yellow-Green Group near 144C) often with anthocyanin coloration(Green-Purple Group near 184A); Developed tendril color, Yellow-GreenGroup near 144C and Grayed-Purple Group near 185B lines.

Fruit:

Maturity at time of description.—At maturity fruit advantageouslytreated with gibberellic acid are oval, large berries, yellowish greenwith slight Muscat flavor; the berries are equal in size with verylittle shatter; the berries are well attached to the cup stem; averageweight of berry treated with Gibberellic acid about 8.0-8.5 gr.; averageweight of berry not treated with Gibberellic acid about 3-4 gr.

Size.—Untreated about 2.5 cm; treated about 4-6 cm ({fraction (13/15)}to {fraction (15/16)} inch).

Sugar/acid ratio.—Treated with Gibberellic acid about 16 to 18 brix; nottreated about 16 to 19 brix.

Ripening date.—Very early; about 5 days before ‘Perlette Seedless’.

Skin thickness.—Slightly more thicker than ‘Thompson seedless’ butdefinitely lighter than ‘Superior Seedless’.

Color of skin.—Yellowish-Green to creamy bright near 151A.

Color of pulp.—Clear white, pulp ring around the skin about ⅛ inch;color Green-Yellow Group near 1C; entire pulp true the center colorGreen-Yellow Group near 1B.

Texture of berry pulp.—Meaty and juicy, slight Muscat flavor.

Presence of seeds.—Seed trace at maturity light green; size up to about4 mm, ⅛ inch, when fruit is held on the vine or kept in cold storageseed traces may turn light brown.

Storage quality.—Stores well up to about 3 to 4 weeks without changes ineating qualities and shape, keeps well.

Shipping quality.—No shatter, no discoloration, no shriveling.

Cluster:

General description.—Bunch has conical shape as grown.

Size.—Length is about 25-30 cm (10 to 12 inches); width about 15-20 cm(6 to 8 inches; about 450-800 gr per bunch.

Berry diameter.—Average about 21 to 24 mm ({fraction (13/16)} to{fraction (15/16)} inch).

Berry skin thickness.—Medium.

Berry skin texture.—Smooth; meaty and crunchy.

Flesh texture.—Meaty.

Juice production.—Juicy.

Flavor.—Light Muscat on full ripening.

Berry size uniformity.—Generally very uniform in the bunch in the rangeof {fraction (13/16)} to {fraction (15/16)} inch and from bunch tobunch.

Peduncle length.—Medium to long; about 38 mm (1½ inches).

Peduncle thickness.—Medium thickness; about 5 mm ({fraction (31/16)}inch).

Pedicel length.—Medium; ribbed bunch-top shoulders about 12 mm (¼ inch);bottom part of bunch is about 8 mm ({fraction (5/16)} inch).

Pedicel diameter.—Thick for ribbed about 1.2 mm ({fraction (1/32)}inch).

Brush length.—About 6 mm ({fraction (3/16)} inch).

Brush color.—Yellowish, color Green Group near 150B.

Seeds.—At maturity light green.

Use: For table grapes growing and marketing.

Uniqueness: Ripening time very early compared to ‘Perlette Seedless’ and‘Flame Seedless’.

Productivity.—Average about 40-50 bunches per vine, stable productivity,very fertile.

Resistance to fruit rotting.—Fairly good.

Storage capacity.—Very good with no decadence.

Bunches.—Berry uniform in size under most climatic conditions especiallywhen grown under climatic conditions such as in hot areas which triggerthe development of non-uniform berries within cluster and betweenclusters in other varieties.

Disease resistance: Same as most of common varieties in Israel of theVitis vinifera; namely some sensitivity to mildew.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct white seedless grape plant known as‘Early Sugar’ substantially as shown and described.